conditional
/kənˈdɪʃənəl/ · con.di.tion.al
noun
- A conditional sentence; a statement that depends on a condition being true or false. The conditional in the sentence 'If it rains, we will cancel the picnic' expresses a dependent relationship between two clauses.
- The conditional mood. The conditional mood is used to express a hypothetical or uncertain situation.
- A statement that one sentence is true if another is. The statement 'A implies B' is a conditional, indicating that if A is true, then B must also be true.
adjective
- Limited by a condition. I made my son a conditional promise: I would buy him a bike if he kept his room tidy.
- Stating that one sentence is true if another is. The conditional statement 'A implies B' indicates that if A is true, then B must also be true.
- Expressing a condition or supposition. The conditional word 'if' is used to express a condition or supposition.
Did you know? The conditional mood is used in many languages, including English, to express hypothetical or uncertain situations, making it a fundamental aspect of human communication and reasoning.